Louisiana College looking for elusive eighth win

Linebacker Peter "Phil" Ford
is one of the lynchpins of the Louisiana College defense. "We are
all just flying around and having fun; we're always running to the
ball," he said.
Louisiana College athletics photo

Who doesn't like the number seven? It's the number of
international super agent James Bond, 7-Up is a tasty lemon-lime
beverage, the No. 7 has been worn by some of our greatest athletes
like Mickey Mantle and John Elway, and it's just plain lucky.
However, the Louisiana College football program may have a
different view of the number as it has kept them from the playoffs
for the past four seasons.

The Wildcats collected the infamous win No. 7 for the fifth
straight season Saturday in a 72-14 massacre of Mississippi
College, leaving one opportunity for the Wildcats to finally get
over the hump against Hardin-Simmons on their home field
Saturday.

A victory would mean not only the best record in the school's
history at 8-2 but could propel the American Southwest Conference
school into the NCAA national playoffs for the first time.

Standing in the way of those achievements and threatening the
possibility of a fifth consecutive 7-3 season for the Wildcats is
Hardin-Simmons. HSU boasts the No. 2 offense in the nation at 556.6
yards per contest, and the Cowboys are gunning for a 7-3
record.

However, Louisiana College is determined to climb beyond the
plateau, and in the meantime get a little revenge. Last season,
after a late loss to McMurry, Louisiana College still had a chance
to go 8-2 and get an at-large bid, but HSU defeated the Wildcats in
Abilene, 41-27.

This season, seventh-year coach Dennis Dunn has challenged the
largest group of seniors he's had since taking over to make
history.

"Certainly we feel like we're poised and put ourselves in the
position to have the opportunity. Now it's before us and for a lot
of people from the outside looking in, the jury is still out on
whether our guys can respond in a big game," Dunn said. "I've
challenged our seniors that this is their team and their
opportunity. What legacy will they leave that's been different than
the one left for you? And, the question can only be answered
Saturday."

The past Wildcats teams had been defined by their offenses,
especially when Ben McLaughlin was at the helm at quarterback.
However, Dunn said that the defense has exceeded expectations this
season, allowing the team to become more balanced and a better
ground team offensively.

"Our defense has been lights out for most of the year," he said.
"We've struggled in years past, but we've been extremely consistent
this year, and [it] has been a real strength for our team, where in
2010 we were simply having to outscore people."

The Wildcat defense has forced 15 fumbles this season, recovered
14, picked off 14 passes, broke up 56 passes, and scored three
defensive touchdowns while holding opponents to just 312.8 yards
per contest.

Junior linebacker Peter "Phil" Ford leads LC with nine tackles
for a loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles. Ford's take on the
defensive improvement is the unit's collective mentality.

"We are all just flying around and having fun; we're always
running to the ball," Ford said. "That's the one thing our coaches
preach to us is to fly around and fly to get to the football; we
need to have 11 hats to the ball running at full speed."

Ford said the defense's big-play ability goes back to a drill
called "White Shirt Pride," but that the drill is more than just a
practice routine, it's a mindset.

"We wear white shirts on defense in practice. The white shirt is
the tie that binds us together," said Ford. "We look at each other,
and we don't do it for ourselves. We do it for the brothers beside
us, and we know that the other players are doing it for the
brothers at their side. We will go 100 percent every time because
we know our brother will do anything for us on the field."

Ford doesn't take for granted Saturday's implications of an
eighth win. In fact, he said he takes Dunn's challenge to the
seniors personally while paralleling the Wildcats' legacy to "White
Shirt Pride."

"We know what our vision is, what we've wanted when we first
started. We have to go out Saturday," Ford said. "We want to be the
only team in history to do this, but it's not for us, it's for the
people and the players before us that laid the foundation."

Louisiana College will get a chance to make the No. 8 lucky in
Pineville, La., on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Huntingdon has one more hurdle

The Hawks debuted No. 5 in the South Region rankings, which
allows them to control their own destiny to the playoffs.
Huntingdon will have a formidable opponent in Adrian from the North
Region. Adrian enters Saturday's contest with the Hawks No. 8 in
its regional rankings with a 7-1 record. The game will be in
Montgomery, Ala., at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Millsaps and Birmingham-Southern tangle for SAA title

Millsaps is guaranteed a share of the first SAA title with a 3-0
conference record, however the Panthers could keep the Majors from
winning it outright Saturday. BSC has lost three of its past four.
Millsaps will try to cap off a solid season after a disappointing
loss to Trinity, which could have set up Saturday to be a game to
see if the Majors could have been playoff eligible.

Sul Ross looks to end roller-coaster season at top

The Lobos have been nothing if not exciting. An upset of Trinity
and mind-boggling shootouts with Mississippi College, Texas
Lutheran and Hardin-Simmons leave Sul Ross with a chance at a .500
season for the first time since 2007. Seniors Dominique Carson and
A.J. Springer will try to ensure a 5-5 mark and keep the Lobos at
the top of the NCAA in yards per contest entering Saturday's ETBU
game at an eye-popping 583.4 yards per contest.